Smyrna Police say 18-year-old Kingston Bradley will face a malice murder charge, in addition to a previously filed charge of concealing the death of another, after partial remains discovered at a Cobb County apartment complex were identified as those of 26-year-old Shanteria “Tia” Mosley, also known to friends and family as “KT.”
How Mosley’s Family Found Her
According to her family, Mosley left home earlier in the day to make DoorDash deliveries and never returned. When she stopped responding, relatives tracked her phone to the area of Park Valley Apartments off South Cobb Drive in Smyrna, Georgia. They searched the surrounding woods, knocked on doors, and eventually located her vehicle at the complex.
The family says they called police for help but felt their concerns weren’t being taken seriously enough, so they continued searching on their own. Police have since confirmed a timeline of that response: the first call from the family came in at 6:57 p.m., an officer stayed at the scene for about 30 minutes before leaving, and police were called back to the complex at 8:16 p.m.
Smyrna Lt. Meredith Holt addressed the family’s frustration directly at a Friday news conference, explaining that the initial responding officer knocked on doors and spoke with residents before clearing the scene: “It’s not a critical missing child, there wasn’t any other type of information that we had at the time that would lead us to believe anything.”
According to Michelle Weaver, Mosley’s aunt, family members had also knocked on Bradley’s apartment door during their search and asked him if he had seen anyone get out of Mosley’s car. He reportedly said he had not, though Weaver said they noticed him watching them through his window as they searched the area.
The Discovery
Partial remains were found dismembered at the apartment complex on Wednesday night. A witness reported seeing Bradley with a tub containing what turned out to be a torso; according to police and witness accounts, he dropped the container and fled when he was spotted. Officers later said one of the recovered items, a garbage bag pulled tightly, showed the visible outline of a body part.
The Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the presence of human remains in the bags. Family members told police they believed the remains were Mosley’s based on a tattoo, though officials initially withheld formal identification pending DNA confirmation, citing the condition of the remains. By Friday night, police said they believed the victim to be Mosley, pending final confirmation.
The Evidence Against Bradley
A search of Bradley’s apartment reportedly turned up several areas of blood staining, a bloody saw, a mop and bucket of water, a carpet cleaner, and a strong smell of bleach, according to court documents. Investigators also executed a search warrant on a vehicle and recovered garbage bags from the trunk.
At Friday’s news conference, Lt. Holt said investigators had not yet directly connected Bradley to a specific instrument used in the dismemberment, and that evidence recovered from multiple possible scenes was still being processed. Police say they’re working to establish how Bradley and Mosley knew each other and how she ended up at the complex. DoorDash has reportedly told investigators that Mosley did not clock in for deliveries that day and had no delivery record tied to the complex, leaving her reason for being there still unexplained.
Canine teams and resources from neighboring agencies assisted with searches around the property.
What’s Known About Bradley
Police say Bradley lived with his father, just the two of them, at the apartment. His father was present at the complex Wednesday and has continued to be interviewed by investigators; there has been no indication he had any connection to or role in the crime. Bradley himself has not provided a statement to police.
Separately, 11Alive learned Friday that Bradley faces prior felony charges stemming from a dispute with his father nearly two years ago, including terroristic threats for allegedly suggesting his father’s death and battery for allegedly hitting him with an Xbox controller. He was also accused in that incident of breaking down his father’s bedroom door and pushing a 15-year-old witness into a window, breaking it. Those charges are unrelated to the current case and have not been shown to bear on it.
Bradley made his first court appearance Thursday in Cobb County Magistrate Court, where a judge denied him bond. He remains in custody, with his next hearing scheduled for October.
Are There Other Victims?
Asked whether investigators believe there could be other victims connected to Bradley, Lt. Holt said there is no indication of that at this time, though police will continue running available information through crime databases to check for any other connections.
What Remains Unknown
Significant questions remain open, including the full circumstances of how Mosley died, why she was at the complex that evening, and the precise nature of her connection to Bradley. Investigators say the case remains active, with multiple search warrants issued and evidence from several possible scenes still being reviewed.
